Method of producing spring rings



April l, 1930. w. F. HEROLD 1,752,982

METHOD OF PRODUCING` SPRING RINGS Original Filed July 6, 1926 fll. 77 I l .i 29 null-"M 3f s I z Z. L" 13,

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Z7 NHLTLR F Hamm.

A z Z ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a 'WALTER F. ZEIIEIIROID, d0I' 'UPPER MONTCLAIB, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB T0 THE BASSICK COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPOBT, GONNECTICUT METHOD OF PBODUCING SPRING RINGS Original application ill-ed `Tuly 6, 1926, Serial No. 120,672. Divided and thisapplication iiled December 87, 1926. Serial No. 157,258.

The present invention relates to an im- With the ahove` and other objects in view, proved method of producing sheet metal an embodiment of the invention is shown in spring rings, the present application being the accompanying drawings, and this ema divisional application of my former applibodiment will be hereinafter more fully decation filed on the 6th day of'July, 1926, scribed with reference thereto, and the in- 55 Serial No. 120,672, now Patent #1,696,912 `vention will be finally pointed out in the dated Jan. 1, 1929. claims. v

Spring rings have heretofore been ro- In the drawingszduced by bending wire, or other stock, mto Fig. 1 is a plan view 'of a sheet metal 10 ring shape, which was unsatisfactory not blank strip, showing the several steps of pro- 6o only from the standpoint of production and ducing the concavo-convex plate and split expense, .but from the fact that it was pracspring ring, according to the present emtically impossible to maintainexact sizes and bodiment of the invention;

tensions, and in the production of small di- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the plate;

15 ameters the rings would not conform to a Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spring ring;

true circle, due to their tendencyto straighten Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view out at the ends. This wasparticularly true through the blank, and the plate and spring in the production of rings having a nonring produced therefrom, and showing the circular cross-section, the bending operation relation of the forming and blanking dies in this case also tending to change the crossthereto; i

sectional shape, so that it was not uniform at Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the split all points. spring ring;

It is proposed in the present invention to Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the concavoprovide a spring ring from iiat sheet metal convex plate; stock, to the end that it may be economically Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, 75 produced by means of shaping and blanking of a castersocket provided with a springl dies, and in which exact shapes and sizes may ring and plate produced according to the inbe accurately maintained and the desired vention; e f tension positively determined, and main- Fig. Sis a sectionalview, showing the plate 3 tained in production. inserted in the socket, and the securing dies @G A further object is to produce,"a.s a part of in posit-,ion to Secure the plate; the Process 0f mekmg theeprlng flug, e 00 11' Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the plate ,cavo-convex, or other suitably shaped, disc securedg-and 0I' platea the SPIHIQ' and pletethlle PI'OdUeeda Figs-10 and 11 are views similar to Figs. adapted for exemple for use 1n e Gestel' Sock' 8 and 9, of another form of socket top bearg5 et construction as disclosed in myco-pending ng apphcatlon Seal Number 120,671 med Similar reference characters indicate cor-4 July 6I1926` now Patent #11649527 dated res ondin arts throu hout the several ii Nov. 15. 1927, although the sprmg, as well meg of th rawings. g g

40 th'lt. Lf th f sqeS-e p a el are adapted ornumerous o `er Referrmg to the drawmgs the Spht spring Another object is to produce a ring of ring and Concavo'onvex plate. accorldmg to non-circular and uniform cross-section, and the Present eglbodlment of the mvetlon me particularly one having a beveled lead suradapted to e .produced from a .at Shea? face for guiding the insertion of a pintle', or metal blank Strlp 10 of 'bmsv spuug Ste@ 95 the like. It is also proposed to provide a Phfsphor Pronzev 0r other Sulieble metal by ring "of relatively thin metal thickness, so bemg fee m stele by Step Telefilm through en that it will occupy a relatively narrow space, eutemetle fe'mmg and blenklffg Press, Where and which ring will at the same time be relathe several operatlons of forming and blanktively strong. f lng the metal are performed. The steps of l the process may, however, be performed-by any desired mechanical means.

The blank is first bumped up, as at 11, by forming dies 12 and 13, to provide a concavoconvex circular shape, the bumped up portion being next blanked out, as at 14, by blanking dies 15 and 16, the plate thus produced dropping into a suitable The edge of the hole 14 is next flanged by swa 'ng, as at 17, by forming dies 18 and 19, the ange being beveled and extending from a point inwardly spaced from the outer periphery of the finished ring. The step of swaging the flange 17 so compresses the metal that it is rendered relatively thinner, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and-is hardened, and in the case of relatively soft brass has the effect of the extra rolling operations to which annealed brass is usually subjected to render it hard and springy. The next step consists in producing a cut 2O at one point in the ring blank, the cut extending from the hole 14 toa point in the strip outside the outer periphery of the ring forming portion, suitable piercing dies 21 and 22 being employed for this purpose. The cut may be radial, as shown, or it may be diagonally or otherwise disposed. The completed split spring ring 23 is finally blanked out by blankingv dies 24 and 25, and drops into a suitable receptacle.

The ring thus produced is a true circle, and will lie within a true fiat plane, and these characteristics will obtain with even the smallest diameters. The beveled flange, rendered springy by the swaging and hardening action of the forming dies, imparts tension to the ring, the degree of tension being determined by the extent of the iange, that is,- increase in the depth of the flange proportionately increases the tension. f.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated, as an example,

' an app ication of the split spring ring and an annular oonoavo-'convex plate in a caster socket 26, th1s particular type of socket being disclosed and claimed inmy Patent #1,649,527, above referred to. The ring is loosely disposed in pocket 27 provided in the base of the socket, and is adapted to grip the pintle 28 to retain it. The be noted, provides a positive seating surface at the upper side and a lead surface at the under side for guiding the insertion of the pintle. The relatively thin metal thickness enables the spring-to be disposed i n a comparatively narrow space. The concave-convex plate is adapted to be used as a reinforcing top pintle.` bearing for the ball end'29 of the pintle, being.. first loosely engaged` in thesocket in contact'with the 'domed (upper end thereof, as shown; in Fig. 8, and then compressed and expanded at its marginal portion by means of suitable dies( 30 and 31l -to secure it in the socketend, its diameter in the'seeured relation being greater than that receptacle.

beveled flange, it will f opening out o of the ring opening. In Figs. 10 and 11 th plate is inserted in relation to a flat-top ed socket with its concave side upwardly, being then flattened and expanded by means of dies 32 and 33. This bearing will withstand very heavy loads, and enables the use-of a socket formed of relatively thin gauge metal.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s 1. The method of manufacturing split spring rings from flat sheet metal, consistlng in swaging an annular ortion of the metal before blanking from t e sheet to render it harder than the unswaged metal, transversely cutting the ring area to produce a Split before blanking from the sheet, and blanking the ring 1n annularf relation to said swaged portion.

2. The ,method of manufacturing split spring rings from flat sheet metal, consisting in forming the ring opening in the sheet, transversely cutting completely across the ring area to produce a split before blanking from the sheet, and blanking the ring in annular relation to said ring area and within the outer extremity of said split. l

3. The method of manufacturing spllt spring rings from fiat sheet metal, consisting in imparting a non-flat cross-sectional shape to an annular portion of the ring before blanking from the sheet, transversely cutting the ring area to produce a split before blanking from the sheet, and blanking the ring 1n annularly spaced relation to portion.

4. The method of manufacturing spllt spring rings from fiat sheet metal, consistmg in forming the ring opening in the sheet, and imparting a non-fiat cross-sectional sha e to an annular portion of the ring before b anking from` the sheet, transversely cuttin the ring area to produce a split before bla n ng rom the sheet, and blanking the ring m annularly spaced relation to said nonat portion. f

' 5. The method of spring rings from flat sheet metal, consistlng inlannularly Hanging the rin area. out of the plane of the sheet before b anking from said non-flat the sheet, transversely cutting the ring area to produce a split before blanking from the sheet, and blanking the ring in annularly spaced relation to said flange. 6. The method of manufacturing spllt spring rings from flat sheet metal, consistin in forming the ring .opening in the sheet an annularly Hanging the rin area about said fa the plane 0% the sheetbefore zon 

